Some breeds of cat are extremely vocal. Some cats are just noisy too, regardless of breed. The will ‘talk’ to you by meowing, and sometimes this can become a bit much.
If your cat starts being very noisy when it was previously quiet, there may be an issue. There are a number of reasons why a cat suddenly starts meowing.
If it’s happening at night, it can become a real annoyance to your sleep pattern. Not to mention that if there is an underlying cause, it needs to be looked into and resolved.
Here are some of the more common reasons cats become very vocal, and some suggestions on how to deal with it.
Mating Calls
If you have not had your cat neutered or spayed, there will come a time when they have the urge to mate. Cats can become very noisy at this time, especially at night.
When a female cat is on heat all males’ cats within a certain radius will be aware of it. They will come looking, and there can be noisy fights too.
As a cat owner you should always get your cat spayed or neutered unless you intended to breed from it. It will calm its temperament, stop it marking its territory, and more importantly stop all of the loud screaming and mating noise.
Asking to Go out or Come In
Any cat owner will know how annoyingly indecisive cats can be about being indoors or outdoors. If you can have a cat flap, it’s a great solution.
Otherwise you will hear a meow, let your cat out. Then hear that familiar meow shortly after to let them back in.
Once cats have figured out that you’re good at opening doors for them, it will start happening with doors within the house too.
You either have to put your cat off going in certain rooms, or leave the doors open for them. Otherwise you’ll hear that familiar meow whenever they fancy going into a room.
Letting You Know They Are Hungry
A hungry cat can be an annoying cat. If you are late feeding a kitty, you may well find them screaming down the house with meowing. Not to mention circling your feet almost tripping you up.
Try and set a strict feeding routine and stick to it. Cat’s internal body clocks are pretty good. And they will remind you when they need feeding.
In Need of Attention
If you cat decides it wants to have some attention, and it wants it right away – it will meow. As well as winding themselves around your legs and brushing against you. So you need to give in and give them some fuss, because they can be quite persistent.
Cats are notorious for waking people up in the night by pestering them. It’s one of the joys of being a cat owner, right? Give your cat enough attention throughout the day and provide plenty of toys and you should be left alone to sleep.
Cats Like to Hunt
Cats have natural urges to hunt. Whether it’s with live pray outdoors, or choosing objects around the house. There is a chattering noise they make when they see birds they know they can’t reach.
And, there is another distinctive noise they make as they catch some prey. Unfortunately there isn’t much you can do to discourage a cat’s natural need to hunt.
You can attach a bell to their collar, this gives the prey chance to hear the cat approaching and escape.
Cats Get Bored Too
Cats get bored just as you or I do. Especially if they are indoor cats. They have a lot of explosive energy to burn off during the day, in between all that sleeping time. So they need obstacles around the house, or toys.
Most cat’s meow when they are bored. They will follow you around and meow at you to try and get some attention. So take a few minutes to play with your cat and help with the boredom. It’s fun for you too.
A Sick Cat Is a Noisy Cat
Cats hide their pain really well. Often just wanting to sit somewhere quiet and be left alone. But some cats become incredibly vocal about it. Not just when they are touched in a tender area, but they will just sit and whine.
This can be distressing for an owner, no one likes seeing their kitty in pain. So carefully take your cat to the vets and have them checked out. If your cat makes noise when using the litter tray it indicates a possible illness.